Mixer valve with electromagnetic diaphragm valve

Abstract: This invention pertains to a mixer valve with electronic control, which incorporates a group of valves (27) situated in a housing (26) provided in the valve body, placed axially to the coupling (22) defining the water outlet duct towards the supply mouth. The group of valves is made up of a diaphragm valve (30) made of elastic material, essentially in the shape of a small bowl placed flush with a valve seat (32) inside the outlet duct (21), and of a stop valve (31) controlled by an electromagnet (29). The diaphragm valve (30) delimits an internal chamber (35) which communicates on one hand (A) with a mixed water supply duct (24) and on the other (B) with an outlet port (C) which extends into the water outlet duct (21) and is opened and closed by the stop valve. The diaphragm valve (30) is designed to expand and contract radially according to the differences in pressure inside and outside said chamber following the opening/closing of the input port by means of the stop valve.

Description: The present invention pertains to hot and cold water mixer valves for hygiene and sanitation units, and more specifically, it concerns improvements made to mixer valves with electronic control, especially to a group of valves which, when actuated by an electromagnet, control the opening/closing of the outlet passage of the water towards the mouth of the valve. Such valves according to the preamble of claim 1 are known from EP-A-496 105. Valve components in the form of a disc or washer, whose arrangement in the valve body and whose actuation by an electromagnet are always problematic, are usually used in the prior-art mixer valves with electronic control. In fact, the adoption of valve means of the type used here involves considerable obstacles and significant problems both due to the complexity of the channels to be made in the valve body and due to the dimensions that the valve components must have in order to be able to ensure the desired water flows. The presence of these valve components also frequently places conditions on the shapes and the sizes of the electronic valves; in fact, in order not to go beyond certain limits imposed by the requirements of installation and/or aesthetics, recourse is often made to the arrangement of the electronic control component at a distance from the valve with the need, therefore, for connecting wires. On the other hand, the present invention is focused on finding a solution for the drawbacks and on solving the problems of the current electronic valves by means of a new, original diaphragm valve structure, an arrangement of this valve in a more convenient and easy position on the inside of the valve body as well as a housing of the electronic control component directly in the valve body, including power supply batteries. The improved electronic valve here proposed is in accordance with claim 1. Advantageously, the diaphragm valve has the configuration of a small bowl and is able to expand and to contract radially as a function of the differences in the pressures on the inside and on the outside of the diaphragm valve. In other words, the diaphragm valve exercises its opening/closing function of a valve seat with radial action with one of its intermediate peripheral zones, which makes it possible to establish, when opened, a passage of water with a rim having a large cross section in order to fully meet the flow requirements of the valve as well, keeping the dimensions of the valve relatively reduced. Also advantageously, the diaphragm valve and the electromagnet for its control are placed axially to the water outlet duct to the mouth of the valve, arrangements which, in addition to the reduced dimensions of the valve, make it possible to limit the volumes of the valve body, to more readily mold its shapes and dimensions for a more appreciable aesthetic effect, and also to accommodate the layout of the electronic control component and the electric power supply in the valve body. The features of the invention will be better apparent from the following description made with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an electronic mixer valve of the present invention which is cut in a sectional view to show the arrangement of the valve; Figure 2 shows an enlarged detail corresponding to the circled section II in Figure 1; Figure 3 shows the only diaphragm of the on-off valve; Figure 4 shows, in perspective view, a cross section of the on-off valve with closed stop valve; Figures 4a and 4b show two enlarged details of Figure 4 corresponding to the circled sections IVa and IVb, respectively; Figure 5 shows a partial longitudinal section of the closed valve as in Figure 4; Figure 6 shows a cross section as in Figure 4, but with the stop valve of the valve open; Figures 6a and 6b show two enlarged details of Figure 6 corresponding to the circled sections VIa and VIb, respectively; Figure 7 shows a partial longitudinal section of the open valve as in Figure 6; Figure 8 shows, in a cross-sectional view, the valve diaphragm in the closed position, and with the arrows, the distribution of the internal and external pressures on the diaphragm in such a position; Figure 9 shows a section of the diaphragm with an inner elastic pre-stress ring; Figure 10 shows a cross section of the complete automatic valve with a manual control as well; and Figures 11 and 12 show a front view and a sectional view of the valve body with a slider facing the sensors which control the opening/closing of the valve. In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, 20 globally indicates a mixer valve body partially in cross section. The mixer valve body has, in the known manner, hot and cold water inlet ducts, which are arranged in the directions of the arrows AC and AF in Figure 1, and it is provided with a supply mouth 20' which is mounted downstream of a water outlet duct 21 which is defined by a coupling 22 attached to the valve body 20. Of the water inlet ducts, only one appears in Figure 1 and is indicated as 23. The valve body 20 is also provided with a mixed water supply duct 24 to the outlet duct 21, a knob 25 for regulating the flow of water through the supply duct 24, an on/off housing 26 for a group of valves 27 which regulates the opening/closing of the water outlet duct 21, and an electronic housing 28 for the electronic component which controls the group of valves for opening/closing the valve. This electronic component is known per se and does not merit particular attention here. It should only be noted that the electronic component controls the group of valves 27 by means of a control electromagnet 29. The housing 26 for the group of valves 27 in the valve body 20 is placed axially to the water outlet duct 21, and the electromagnet 29 is placed axially below the group of valves. The group of valves 27 essentially consists of two components: a diaphragm valve 30 and a stop valve 31 with linear adjustments. The diaphragm valve 30 is made of an elastic material, such as rubber, and has essentially the shape of a partial sphere or of a small bowl, which can expand and contract radially, and it is placed flush with a valve seat 32 provided in the coupling 22 which defines the water outlet duct 21 towards the supply mouth. The diaphragm 30 is provided with a fixed internal element 33, which, in turn, is provided with a support coupling 34 which delimits an axial drain port D in line and in communication with the outlet duct 21. On its lower end, the duct D has an input port d which is closed and opened by the stop valve 31, whose adjustments in the closing and opening positions are controlled by the electromagnet 29, which is controlled by the electronic component of the valve 20. The diaphragm 30, with the internal element 33 that supports it, delimits a chamber 35 which, on the one hand, continuously communicates, through a small radial supply port A provided in the diaphragm, with the mixed water supply duct 24, and on the other hand, through a radial port B provided in the internal element 33, with an outlet port C which extends into the support coupling 34 in parallel to the axial drain port D and which is opened towards the bottom to communicate with the input port d of the drain port D only when the stop valve 31 is in the opened position. The diaphragm valve 30 has an intermediate annular component 30' above the small port A and is intended to rest with a slight pre-stress on the valve seat 32 when the diaphragm is expanded so as to close the passage of water from the supply duct 24 to the outlet duct 21. On the other hand, when the diaphragm is contracted, its intermediate annular component 30' is moved away from the valve seat 32, thus opening the direct passage of water from the supply duct 24 to the outlet duct 21 for a normal supply. The expansion and the contraction of the diaphragm results from the differences between the pressures on the inside and on the outside of the diaphragm, which are created with the opening and closing of the input port d of the drain port D by the stop valve 31. Of course, the diaphragm expands and begins to close when the internal pressure is greater than the external pressure (see Figure 8). The expansion of the diaphragm 30 can, moreover, be assisted by an elastic loading ring 36 arranged on the inside of the diaphragm itself at the level of its intermediate collar 30' as in Figure 9. For further details, the operation of the group of valves is illustrated below under the conditions of closed valve and open valve, with particular reference made to the ports A, B, C, D, to the diaphragm valve 30, and to the stop valve 31 which is controlled by the electromagnet. The closed valve condition is shown in Figures 4, 4a, 4b, 5 and 8. As stated above, the diaphragm 30, made of elastic material, that is, rubber, is designed to expand, close the valve seat 32 with a slight pre-stress and to block the water outlet duct 21. The small port A always puts the supply duct 24 in communication with the chamber 35 on the inside of the diaphragm, which also means that, thanks to the small port A, there is always a direct connection between the duct 24, the port B, and the outlet duct C. When the stop valve 31 which is controlled by the electromagnet 29 is closed on the inlet d of the drain port D, the passage of water into this port is blocked. Tile ports A, B, C and the chamber 35 on the inside of the diaphragm 30 fill up with water, and the pressure in the chamber is equal to that of the water fed in. Tile dotted lines F in Figure 5 indicate the zones with the presence of water. Tile condition of closing is maintained by the fact that (see Figure 8): on the outside, the pressure of the water acts only on a part of the surface of the diaphragm below the intermediate closing collar 30', causing a compression action which tends to remove the diaphragm from the valve seat; on the inside of the chamber 35, however, the water pressure acts on the entire surface of the diaphragm with an action tending to expand the diaphragm against the valve seat. Since the inner wet surface is greater than the outer wet surface of the diaphragm, a difference in force is produced which confirms the closing of the valve, blocking the passage of water towards the mouth of the valve through the outlet duct. It is immediately evident why the water must never pass through the small port A instead of deforming the diaphragm and exiting from the mouth. However, it must be recalled that the smallest flow is involved, and then it must be pointed out, even if banally, that only one drop of water, which is added to the water present on the inside of the diaphragm, increases the content and thus the possibility that a "second drop" enters the duct A instead of exiting from the mouth until reaching the balance of the pressures. The entire unit would not function if the diaphragm did not have a pre-stress which held it slightly forced against the outlet duct in order to block it. This pre-stress can be produced by the internal reaction that is characteristic of the material forming the diaphragm which is forced against the valve seat on mounting and is favored by the particular geometry of the diaphragm or, as stated above, accentuated by means of the use of an elastic ring as is shown in Figure 9. The opened valve condition is shown in Figures 6, 6a, 6b, and 7. When the stop valve 31 which is controlled by the electromagnet 29 is lowered, the port C and the port D are put into communication, with the water draining directly into the outlet duct where the outlet pressure, or atmospheric pressure, is thus clearly less than the inlet pressure. In this situation, the water pressure in the port C, then in the port B, drops, and even if a small amount of water flows from the small port A, the pressure inside the membrane becomes much less than the external pressure. Therefore, the external pressure com- presses the diaphragm (the diaphragm flattens), and the water can flow towards the mouth. The zones that are wet with water and how the water flows to the outlet duct 21 passing around the diaphragm are shown with dotted lines in Figure 7. The entire unit would not function if the diameter of the beginning section of the port D were much smaller than the small port A. Load losses would be produced, which would lead to a high pressure on the inside of the diaphragm, and the operation of the diaphragm would become unstable. For this reason, the inlet port d of the axial port D is greater than the small radial port A of the diaphragm. Finally, the different use of the areas inside and outside the diaphragm, which is made into a "small bowl", makes large flows with small radial dimensions possible, and thus, the diaphragm is particularly suitable for applications in the field of valves in general and to achieve the purposes of reducing the sizes and to be able to also arrange the electronic component and the batteries inside the body and to give the valve the available, desired shapes. The stop valve 31 can be moved by an electromagnet as stated above or by a mechanical control drive. In the support coupling, a second or another outlet port C' may also be provided (see Figure 10), this port comes from the chamber 35 of the diaphragm 30 and which opens towards the inlet port of the drain port D, with a stop valve 31' being inserted along the second outlet port C'. This stop valve rotates or traverses with manual control, and which, when operated, permits a manual opening/closing of the valve in cases of emergency, independently, that is, of the electromagnet and in the absence of the electric power supply. Finally, the valve (see Figures 11 and 12) may be provided with an adjustable slider means 37 at a distance from and in front of the sensors 38 so as to make it possible to use the valve with automatic control (when the slider is at a distance from the sensors) or to leave the valve open for prolonged periods of time without the presence of anything in front of the sensors (when the slider is placed in front of the sensors so as to reflect the signals).

Claims: A mixer valve with electronic control, comprising a body (20) with hot and cold water inlet ducts, a mixed water supply duct (24) communicating with said inlet ducts via flow regulation means (25), a water outlet duct (21) communicating with the mixed water supply duct (24) on one hand and a supply mouth (20') on the other, said outlet duct (21) being defined by a coupling (22) and the supply mouth being applied to said coupling, and a group of valves (27) which regulates the opening/closing of the water outlet duct (21) under the control of an electromagnet (29) governed by an electronic component, characterized in that the group of valves (27) is situated in a housing (26) in the valve body placed axially to the coupling (22) defining the water outlet duct (21), in that said group of valves is made up of a diaphragm valve (30) made of elastic material, such as rubber, essentially in the shape of a small bowl protruding axially into the coupling (22) and placed flush with a valve seat (32) formed in the coupling (22), and of a stop valve controlled by said electromagnet (29), in that said diaphragm valve (30) delimits an internal chamber (35) which communicates on one hand (A) with the mixed water supply duct (24) and on the other (B) with an outlet port (C) which extends into the water outlet duct (21) to the supply mouth through an input port (d) which is opened and closed by the stop valve (31) controlled by the electromagnet, and in that the diaphragm valve (30) is designed to expand and contract radially according to the differences in pressure inside and outside said chamber following the opening/closing of said input port (d) by means of the stop valve, the closure of said input port (d) corresponding to an expansion of the diaphragm , the closing of the valve seat (32) and the interruption of the water flow to the outlet duct and supply mouth, the opening of said input port (d) corresponding to the contraction of said diaphragm, the opening of the valve seat (32) and the flow of water from the supply duct (24) to the outlet duct. A mixer valve as defined in claim 1, in which the diaphragm valve (30) has an intermediate collar (30') which projects and is designed to rest radially on the valve seat (32) when the diaphragm valve expands and to move away from the valve seat when the diaphragm valve contracts, said diaphragm valve being mounted with a slight preload or pre-stress provided by an elastic loading ring (36) situated inside flush with the intermediate collar (30') and tending to expand the diaphragm. A mixer valve as defined in claims 1 and 2, in which the diaphragm valve (30) is supported by a rigid internal element (33) fixed onto a coaxial support coupling (34) which delimits a drain port (D) parallel to the water outlet duct (21) to the supply mouth, said drain port (D) extending from the input port (d) opened/closed by the stop valve (31), in which said diaphragm valve and said rigid internal element delimit a chamber (35) communicating, on one hand, with the supply duct (24) through a small radial supply port (A) provided in the diaphragm (30) and, on the other hand, with the outlet port (C) through a port (B) provided in the rigid element, said outlet port (C) extending into the support coupling (34), opening towards said input port (d) and communicating with the drain port (D) when the stop valve (31) is in the open position. A mixer valve as defined in claim 3, in which the small radial supply port (A) of the diaphragm (30) has a smaller cross-section than the input port (d) controlled by the stop valve (31). A mixer valve as defined in the previous claim, in which the body of the valve has a housing for the electronic and power supply components controlling the electromagnet. A mixer valve as defined in any of the previous claims, in which the support coupling is provided with a second outlet port (C') along which there is a hand-operated stop valve (31') to enable the chamber in said diphragm to communicate with the drain port in case of emergency. A mixer valve as defined in any of the previous claims, in which the valve body is provided with an adjustable slider means (37) at a distance from and in front of the sensors (38) controlling the electronic opening/closing of the valve.

Inventors: FERABOLI ENRICO, FERABOLI, ENRICO
Applicants: SOL SPA, SOL S.P.A.
Application year: 1994
Main classification: F16K31
IPC codes: F16K31, E03C1, F16K7